


not enough time

by lo_ells



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Humor (?), Speed Dating, jinsol isn't having it, side chuuves hehe, sooyoung loves speed dating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22850446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lo_ells/pseuds/lo_ells
Summary: Sooyoung somehow convinces Jinsol to spend her Friday evening speed dating, much to Jinsol's annoyance.But, by the end of the night, Jinsol can't thank her best friend enough for dragging her off of the couch.
Relationships: Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul & Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip, Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip
Comments: 19
Kudos: 329





	not enough time

Jinsol doesn’t quite understand how she’s ended up in some random bar half an hour from her apartment, sitting next to a giddy Sooyoung, waiting for the apparently monthly Speed Dating for Useless Lesbians to begin.

Her night had started out fairly normal.

She’d arrived home from work exhausted after a long day. As much as Jinsol loved her job at the aquarium, there were days where it just felt like a little too much. She never thought her dream job would involve so much paperwork.

As she pondered on whether or not she should put in a request for an assistant, someone loudly banged on her front door.

Jinsol immediately rolled her eyes. She would recognize that obnoxious knock anywhere.

Abandoning the unopened wine bottle she had retrieved from the cabinet, she opened the door to reveal her best friend, slightly more made up than usual, with a shit-eating grin plastered on her face.

“Hey, buddy! How was your day?” Sooyoung entered without asking, making her way straight to Jinsol’s freezer. She scanned it for a moment and her eyes lit up when they spotted the tub of chocolate ice cream strategically hidden behind the box of chicken fingers.

“Long. Tiring. Kind of sucked ass to be honest,” Jinsol replied, eyes narrowed at the other woman.

Sooyoung nodded, almost expecting that response and already much more interested in her ice cream.

“Is there something you need? I was really looking forward to ordering takeout and watching Marvel movies all night.” Jinsol was already making her way towards her couch, phone in hand, when Sooyoung sprinted towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders, halting her in her tracks.

“No! I’m sorry but I can’t stand for this anymore!”

Jinsol’s eyes widened at Sooyoung’s sudden outburst. There was a little bit of ice cream on her chin but Sooyoung didn’t seem to notice or care, her interest solely on Jinsol.

“Stand for what? What are you talking about?”

Sooyoung sighed loudly, rolling her eyes.

“Come on Jinsol, when was the last time you left the house for anything besides work? I’m worried you are becoming a hermit!”

Jinsol racked her brain. Maybe it had been a while. The last thing she could remember was attending her younger sister Chaewon’s birthday party, but that had been over a month prior. Yikes.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like going out, she usually had fun whenever she did so. But the thought of staying home on her couch just sounded so much more appealing most of the time.

At Jinsol’s silence, Sooyoung sighed again.

“Exactly. Seriously, you need to start living a little. And we are starting tonight.”

Jinsol’s attention was brought back to Sooyoung, and she whined in response.

“No, please, I’m so tired. I just want to put my pajamas on and relax. You can stay with me! We can have a sleepover, just like high school,” Jinsol practically begged, putting her own hands on Sooyoung’s shoulders so they were mirroring each other.

Jinsol almost thought she’d had her as she recognized the nostalgia in Sooyoung’s eyes. Whenever Jinsol brought up high school Sooyoung always loved to reminisce about the “good old days.”

But, to Jinsol’s despair, the nostalgia faded quickly and Sooyoung just smirked at her in response.

“No way. I have the perfect plan for tonight, and you are coming whether you like it or not.”

And that was how Jinsol had ended up here.

To be fair, the bar itself is quite quaint. Jinsol can tell it isn’t a well-frequented establishment, but she finds that only adds to its charm. All of the tables and chairs have been arranged into pairs scattered throughout the main floor, and the radio is tuned into some local station playing a good mix of old and new hits.

The organizer of the event, who she’d learned earlier is named Haseul, has set up a few posters here and there, all of them very poorly coloured and designed. Jinsol feels as though she might lose her vision if she makes eye contact with another neon green poster with a cartoon vagina on it.

To give her credit, Haseul seems extremely enthusiastic, and Jinsol wonders if she does this for a living or just considers it a fun hobby.

Either way, Jinsol feels for the other woman.

One silver lining is that the bartender has made her favourite drink, rum and coke, to perfection. It is a hard ratio to perfect, she’s had enough bad ones to know, and Jinsol thinks she might have been happy to be here under different circumstances. But Sooyoung’s leg continuously bouncing in anticipation beside her is a constant reminder of the purpose of tonight.

Speed dating.

Jinsol can’t think of a worse way to spend her Friday evening.

Sooyoung hadn’t disclosed her brilliant plan until Jinsol was already out of her apartment, and despite her best efforts, she couldn’t escape from Sooyoung’s death grip to flee back to the safety of her couch.

On the train over, Jinsol questioned Sooyoung on how she had even heard of such an event, and why she seemed so excited about it.

“I swear, I have gone for the past three months and every time I’ve gone home with the most attractive woman there. It couldn’t be easier,” Sooyoung grinned.

Jinsol rolled her eyes. She should have known. Sooyoung certainly had a thing for meaningless sex with beautiful women.

“But this time, I’m willing to sacrifice her, for you.”

Jinsol met Sooyoung’s eyes, seeing the mischievous glint that so often characterized them.

“What if I don’t want to sleep with her?” Jinsol asked.

“Well then date her, marry her, make out with her, I don’t care! I’m just asking you to give it a try and keep an open mind. If you don’t then I’m going to keep dragging you back until you do.” Sooyoung intimidatingly stepped closer to Jinsol with every word, hand gripping the support rail.

Jinsol just smiled as the train approached their stop. She licked her thumb and reached up to finally wipe the ice cream off of Sooyoung’s chin, deciding it had been there long enough. “You don’t scare me, Sooyoungie.”

With a final poke of Sooyoung’s cheek, Jinsol exited the train. She had one final plan to try and weasel her way out of attending the ridiculous event, and while she had little faith it would work, it was her last resort.

As they made their way to the bar, Jinsol made sure to yawn obnoxiously whenever Sooyoung looked her way, emphasizing her fatigue. Sooyoung would respond by sticking her fist in her open mouth.

Jinsol slipped in a few anecdotes about how crappy her day at work was, what with her favourite animals having to be put down earlier in the week and how her subordinates kept messing up feeding schedules, leaving her to take the blame. Sooyoung simply whined in mockery, imitating a toddler on the verge of a tantrum. Jinsol’s pout would deepen each time.

Once they’d arrived, Jinsol even asked Sooyoung if they could sit down right away, claiming she had “been on her feet all day.” But Sooyoung seemed too distracted by her potential targets to care about Jinsol’s complaints..

Every attempt at guilt-tripping her best friend had failed massively, much to Jinsol’s dismay. So, she resigned herself to the fact that she was stuck participating in some god-forsaken matchmaking scheme.

They were a few of the first ones to arrive, accompanied by the organizer and a couple of other keeners.

The organizer had recognized Sooyoung instantly, the two sharing a warm exchange before Jinsol was introduced.

With how happy Haseul was to see her, Sooyoung must have been her favourite customer.

Thankfully, Sooyoung paid Jinsol’s entry fee without much protest, so at least Jinsol knew she’d only be responsible for keeping herself tipsy the whole night. Otherwise, she wasn’t sure she’d make it through it.

As they took their seats, Jinsol politely smiled at the women already present. As more women trickled in, Jinsol spared each a glance. There were a few she would say were attractive, but none that made her jaw drop or anything.

If she was going to be forced to spend the whole night, she’d hoped there would at least have been some eye candy.

But now, most of the women have arrived, and Jinsol can’t help feeling disappointed. Any hope she had of the night not sucking immediately vanished.

Jinsol turns to Sooyoung, and seeing the excitement in her best friend’s eyes sent a course of anger through her veins. Her sole mission now is to make Sooyoung’s night a living hell. Why should she be the only one to suffer?

“Hey idiot, Haseul is starting her run-down. Pay attention,” Sooyoung whispers to Jinsol.

Jinsol does as she’s told, keeping her smirk to herself.

“Hello all women who love women! What a beautiful day to love women, am I right?” Haseul cheers.

She receives a few hesitant “woo!”s in response, but all Jinsol hears is Sooyoung’s loud wolf whistle right in her ear.

“Shut up you horndog,” Jinsol says through her teeth, rolling her eyes at the wink she gets in response.

“That’s the type of enthusiasm I was looking for! Thank you as always, Sooyoung,” Haseul grins.

“Now, I’m sure we all know why we are here, but just in case you are in the wrong place, this is Speed Dating for Useless Lesbians! Of course, all women who love women are welcome, but the tagline would have been too long if we included everyone.”

The crowd of about 20 women or so nod in acceptance.

“This is the perfect place in eastern Seoul to meet women! If you are looking for a date, something more, something less,” Haseul pauses to look at Sooyoung, “then this is the place for you! But if you don’t want any of that, then I’d suggest getting out now while you still can!”

Jinsol takes that as her cue to leave and starts to rise in her seat. But Sooyoung is fast, and her hands instantly dart out and grab onto Jinsol’s forearms, squeezing so hard Jinsol is sure they will leave a mark.

“Do you really want me to tell Chaewon that you stole all of her barbies in middle school because you thought they were hot and wanted to masturbate to them?”

Jinsol gasps loudly, causing a few heads to turn.

“You wouldn’t.”

Sooyoung smirks. God Jinsol hates that smirk.

“Are you sure I don’t scare you?”

Their gazes lock, daring the other to make a move. Finally, Jinsol relents and relaxes in her seat.

“You’re such a bitch,” she whispers, venom on her tongue.

“I know. But I love you, so you’re stuck with me anyways.”

The two finally turn their attention back to Haseul. They seem to have missed a lot, because Haseul has dragged up a volunteer from the crowd.

“Please give your name for the demonstration, m’lady,” Haseul beams.

Demonstration for what? Its speed dating. Jinsol isn’t sure how anyone could mess it up.

The woman’s face is bright red, the poor lighting only slightly helping to conceal it.

“Um, I’m Vivi.” She seems very shy, and she definitely has an accent.

She’s pretty too, but Jinsol is fairly sure her gaze lies elsewhere. The brunette’s eyes have been firmly locked on Haseul since she was plucked from the crowd.

“Perfect! Sorry to make you do this, Vivi, but I can’t tell you how many times people get this wrong. Too smart for their own good, I always say!”

Sooyoung snickers. “Sounds like she’s talking about you,” she mutters.

Jinsol kicks Sooyoung’s shin with her heel, earning a surprised yelp.

“To start, you have all been assigned a number. Once I’m finished, I’ll pass the sheet around so you can take a look. Do not forget your number, and make sure you look at your own name and not someone else’s.”

Jinsol wonders how long Haseul has been doing this for. She feels like she’s back in school, and Haseul is the teacher who has had to deal with one too many idiotic students.

“Every few minutes or so, I will announce which two numbers are to sit at which table. Everyone will get a chance to meet and chat with everyone once before the last half an hour becomes free to mingle.”

Haseul pauses, clearly wanting to put emphasis on her next point.

“I don’t care if you meet the love of your life or your soulmate or any corny stuff like that, if you mess up my system by trying to steal another one-on-one meeting I will not hesitate to drop kick your ass out of this bar.”

The room falls silent. Jinsol’s jaw drops, definitely not expecting to be threatened so fiercely from the shorter woman.

But just as soon as it had arrived, Haseul’s intimidating aura vanishes, and she returns to her bright self in an instant. Jinsol feels like she has whiplash.

“Alright! Now that that’s out of the way, let’s lay down some ground rules!”

Haseul guides Vivi over to a makeshift table for two. Jinsol had wondered earlier what it’s purpose was, it being quite clearly out of place from the rest of the tables.

“So let’s say I was number 1, and Vivi here was number 2. I, as the organizer, would call out ‘Numbers 1 and 2! Table 1!’ and Vivi and I would meet up here.”

Haseul pulls Vivi’s chair out and signals for her to sit. Vivi’s blush deepens as she does so.

Jinsol feels a bit awkward. Is it really necessary for all of them to watch these two women pretend to be on a date?

Haseul sits and gives Vivi a brief smile before turning to her audience.

“Rule number 1. No last names. Some like to keep a level of anonymity, and if tonight goes well, I’m sure you’ll learn it sooner or later.”

“What is this, an AA meeting?” Jinsol whispers to Sooyoung.

Sooyoung scoffs. “Imagine how I feel. I’ve had to sit through this little demo three times already. I think Haseul just uses it as an excuse to make pretty girls blush.”

Jinsol’s eyes widen. That makes sense. She can’t help but commend Haseul for her mojo. “Useless Lesbians” doesn’t quite seem like a fitting tagline anymore.

“Rule number 2. No talking politics. You wouldn’t believe the amount of scraps I’ve had to separate, and we’ve got a schedule to maintain, so keep it to yourself for tonight.” She pauses.

“But if you’re a Trump supporter, you probably don’t have much of a future with anyone here to begin with,” Haseul smiles, her words immensely contrasting her glowing persona.

“And finally, have fun! We are all single, attractive, women who love women! Enjoy it while we still can!”

Sooyoung starts to clap, Jinsol feeling obligated to follow.

Haseul takes a bow before gesturing for Vivi to do the same.

Jinsol still isn’t quite sure what the woman was brought up to do, and given the slight confusion on her face, Jinsol assumes she’s thinking the same thing.

But the wink and kiss on the cheek she receives from Haseul seems to have made it worth her effort. Jinsol struggles to hold in a laugh at the way Vivi visibly swoons at the contact.

As Haseul passes around the paper with their assigned numbers on it, Jinsol stands and stretches her arms a little. She only just realizes how long they’d been sitting down, but Jinsol doesn’t feel like any of it was worth her time.

She can only hope the rest of the night will pass by faster.

“Dude, I can already see a few possibilities for tonight,” Sooyoung mutters, gaze locking on a woman on the other side of the room. “How about you? Anyone tickling your fancy?”

Jinsol scrunches up her nose. “Don’t ever say that again. But no, not really. I’m disappointed, you made it seem like we were headed to Themyscira or something.”

“Hey don’t write anyone off just yet. You never know, maybe your soulmate is here tonight,” Sooyoung grins, eyebrows wiggling up and down.

“I’m sure she is,” Jinsol deadpans as she’s handed the assignment sheet.

She looks down and scans the page for her name. Number 7.

“You’re number 9, Soo.” When she doesn’t get a response, Jinsol looks up, only to find Sooyoung has vanished from beside her.

Jinsol rolls her eyes. Not her problem.

She passes the paper along, and before she knows it, Haseul is calling the first pairings.

“Number 7 and number 10! Table 4!” Jinsol searches the bar for Haseul and her assigned table, and finds both stationed right in the middle of the joint. So much for privacy.

Jinsol makes her way over and finds “number 10” already seated.

“Oh, one more thing! Don’t talk to each other until I say so. Wouldn’t want to give anyone an unfair advantage!”

Jinsol sighs, looking up to the ceiling and wondering for the millionth time how she’s ended up here on her Friday night.

Taking her seat, she weakly smiles at the woman across from her.

She seems nice, extremely cute. Her bangs frame her face adorably, the light pink lipstick really bringing out her eyes.

Not really Jinsol’s type, but she can definitely see the appeal.

They sit in an awkward silence for a few moments while Haseul rounds up the rest of the women. Jinsol can’t help but compare her to a shepherd herding sheep, constantly pointing them in the right direction and cutting them off when they make a wrong turn.

Jinsol laughs out loud by accident, causing the woman she’s seated with to give her a confused glance.

Jinsol says nothing, but gestures over to Haseul, who is frantically trying to separate two women who both claim to be number 12.

Number 10 takes a second to understand, but a smile creeps upon her face as well.

It’s a very pretty smile.

Out of breath, Haseul looks around the bar, and she sighs happily when she finally sees everyone in their seats.

“Alright, that didn’t take as long as it usually does, so we are in for a good night! Get chatting, ladies!”

She dashes over to start the large, electronic timer, counting down from five minutes.

Number 10 clears her throat, and Jinsol turns back to face her.

“Hi! I’m Jiwoo, it’s nice to meet you.”

Jinsol shakes her outstretched hand and smiles at the lovely lilt to her voice.

“Jinsol, likewise. What brings you here tonight?”

Jiwoo blushes. “I actually kind of love speed dating.”

Jinsol’s eyes bulge out of their sockets. Jiwoo notices and awkwardly laughs in embarrassment, blush deepening.

“I know it sounds a bit weird, but I love meeting people and talking to people, so it’s a fun way to spend my evening, I guess. Plus, I have always dreamt of meeting my future wife at one of these things, even though that’s ridiculous and probably will never happen.”

Jinsol calms down, shock subsiding slightly. She guesses it makes a bit of sense. Any hopeless romantic, as Jiwoo clearly is, would probably eat this whole setting up.

But Jinsol can confidently say Jiwoo is not the woman for her.

“I mean, I can’t say I agree, but I understand where you’re coming from.”

Jiwoo’s face scrunches in confusion. “Wait, if you don’t like speed dating then why are you here?”

Jinsol sighs. “I’ve been asking myself that question since I got here.”

Jiwoo giggles, and it is so infectious that Jinsol finds herself following suit.

“Actually, my best friend dragged me here. She’s become a frequent customer and has claimed I ‘don’t get out enough,’ so here I am.”

Jiwoo nods. “I see. I haven’t actually been to this particular event before, but Haseul is pretty famous in the speed dating scene, so at least you get to experience the best for your first time.”

If Haseul is the best that the Korean speed dating community has to offer, Jinsol fears who the worst would be.

“Which one is your friend?” Jiwoo asks curiously.

Jinsol looks around the bar to find the familiar brown-haired head.

She sees Sooyoung sitting at a table on the other side of the bar, on her phone, completely ignoring the woman across from her who looks to be talking her ear off.

Jinsol isn’t surprised in the slightest. Sooyoung had “standards,” to put it mildly.

Jinsol points over in Sooyoung’s direction, leading Jiwoo’s line of sight to her best friend.

“The one who looks like a bitch. That’s her.”

Jinsol expects a laugh, or a rebuttal, but she gets nothing.

She turns to look at Jiwoo, and the woman looks utterly floored, eyes glued to Sooyoung’s side profile.

Oh no. Jinsol has seen that look too many times.

She gently places her hand on Jiwoo’s forearm, causing her to jump slightly and turn back towards Jinsol, pupils slightly dilated.

“Oh! Um, she seems nice…” Jiwoo trails off, gaze being pulled back towards the same corner of the bar.

Jinsol’s initial reaction is to let the girl down easy, as she has a million times before. Give the usual speech of “Sooyoung isn’t looking for anything serious, she’s super busy, I wouldn’t even bother.”

But this time, she stops herself.

As nice as Jiwoo seems, Jinsol’s urge to fuck over Sooyoung has been growing and growing since she first opened her apartment door earlier in the evening.

At this point, sparing Jiwoo’s feelings is the least of her concerns.

“You know, I think you’re just her type.”

Jiwoo’s head whips around and the intensity in her eyes startles Jinsol a little.

“Seriously? You think so?”

At the hope blooming on her face, Jinsol starts to feel a little bad. But she can’t turn back now.

“Oh yeah, for sure. The whole reason she comes to these things is the same as yours is: to find her soulmate. Maybe that’s you.”

If Jinsol thought Haseul’s smile was bright, Jiwoo’s practically blinds her.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe what you are saying right now,” Jiwoo sighs. From the look on her face, Jinsol is pretty sure she is already planning their wedding.

“Just be yourself, and I’m sure you guys will be a match made in heaven,” Jinsol smiles, fighting the bile threatening to rise up her throat.

Before Jiwoo can fit in another word, the whole bar shakes in alarm as the timer loudly blares like a fire alarm. Jinsol almost runs out of the building on instinct.

“Ladies! I’m afraid time is up, but not to worry! As a reminder, there will be a free mingle period at the end of the rotation. You’ll just have much more competition, so make sure to leave an impression!”

As Haseul starts reading the next pairs, Jinsol looks over to Jiwoo and winks. “Go get em’ tiger.”

Jiwoo blushes, again, before standing up and retreating to some other area of the bar.

Jinsol sighs. She’s only one “date” in and she’s already exhausted.

She walks over to the bartender and orders another rum and coke, sighing in content when she takes the first sip. Just as good as the first one.

Sparing a glance around the bar, Jinsol looks for Sooyoung, and finds her already sitting with her next date and engaging in conversation.

Jinsol almost drops her glass as she eyes the woman sitting across from her best friend.

She’s not sure how she hasn’t noticed her up until now, but Jinsol’s entire world feels as though it has stopped.

Her smile is gorgeous. Her entire face adorably scrunches up in amusement at whatever Sooyoung has just said. 

Her eyes sparkle. Even from where Jinsol is standing, she can see their depth and fears she could drown in them.

Her hair is flawless. Jinsol can best describe the colour as auburn, and it flows down her back in effortless curls.

Her aura is so captivating. Jinsol feels herself being drawn closer and closer, and she doesn’t realize she is standing right in front of their table until Sooyoung elbows her in the hip.

“What are you doing here? Hasn’t Haseul called your number yet?”

Jinsol can’t muster up a response, can’t even glance in her direction.

Now that she’s a lot closer, Jinsol can now see every detail of the woman’s face. Despite having next to no makeup on, Jinsol is sure that she is the most beautiful woman she has ever had the pleasure of seeing.

Jinsol can only imagine how odd she must look, gaping at a complete stranger from about a foot away and completely ignoring her best friend. She wishes she could somehow quell her reaction, but every movement since she first laid her eyes on this woman has been almost instinctual.

It takes a good kick to the back of the knee for Jinsol to finally snap out of the haze she had fallen under. Her leg buckles from the impact of Sooyoung’s foot, and she barely catches herself before her head collides with the table.

“What? Oh, um, hi Sooyoung. How’s your night going?”

Sooyoung looks perplexed.

“I saw you less than ten minutes ago, moron.”

Jinsol blushes, and she can feel the woman’s gaze boring holes into her head, but she is too terrified to meet the gaze.

“Ah, right, that is true. I just thought I would check in, maybe ask if you’ve made any progress?”

The confusion on Sooyoung’s face only deepens, knowing Jinsol has never given a rat’s ass about her various escapades.

Jinsol is immensely aware of how fabricated the lie sounds, and Sooyoung knows her better than anyone. It’s only a matter of time before Sooyoung sees through her like glass. The hesitancy in her voice and the multiple changes in octaves when she speaks don’t help either.

Thankfully, Sooyoung seems to give Jinsol the benefit of the doubt and chooses to ignore her weird behaviour, for now.

“Right. Well, the first one was a bust. Figured that out about thirty seconds in so I decided to save my energy. And Jungeun here was in one of my dance classes in college. Small world, but she’s immediately out of the running.”

Jungeun. So that’s her name. Jinsol’s eyes widen and she coughs slightly to clear her suddenly dry throat. At least she doesn’t have to worry about Sooyoung sharing her interest.

But after seeing Jinsol’s reaction to the mentioning of the other woman, Sooyoung seems as though she’s caught on, making Jinsol’s blood run cold.

Sooyoung’s eyes dart between Jinsol and the woman out of Jinsol’s peripheral, and grins at Jinsol’s beet red face and shaking hands.

“Speaking of which, Jungeun, this is my best friend Jinsol. You’ll have to forgive her, she’s never been to one of these things, and doesn’t quite understand the etiquette,” Sooyoung teases.

“That’s alright, I’m sure I would have met her sooner or later.”

Jinsol still hasn’t looked back in Jungeun’s general vicinity, but she almost melts at the velvety voice coming from her left side. She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, both of which Sooyoung notices and quietly chuckles at, and finally turns to meet Jungeun’s intense gaze.

Her hand shoots out to rest on the table, using it as an anchor to keep herself up.

Jungeun’s smile is small, but enough to send Jinsol’s heart spiralling. Jinsol tries her best to manage one as well, but with all of the chaos going on inside her mind, she’s sure she looks like she’s going to be sick.

Thankfully, before she is forced into saying anything to the woman, her saving grace pipes up from the other side of the bar.

“Hey you! Sooyoung’s friend in the flannel! I’m about to start the timer so get to your seat!”

Jinsol’s head whips around to see Haseul glaring at her frustratingly.

“Sorry!” she says, but her voice cracks loudly, sounding more like a prepubescent boy than a twenty-something year old woman.

Sooyoung laughs, loudly this time, and gives her a little shove on the back.

“I guess I’ll see you later, Jinsol.” Jinsol’s head again whips around, but she meets Jungeun’s tempting gaze instead. The intensity is too much for Jinsol to handle, and despite opening her mouth to respond, nothing comes out.

So, she just gives her a small wave, and heads towards the table Haseul is standing at, her foot tapping in annoyance.

Jinsol does catch Sooyoung mouthing the word “smooth,” and the obnoxious wink along with it.

She finally arrives at the table and mutters a quick apology. Haseul smiles bitterly at her before going across to start the timer once more.

Jinsol is sure the following ten to twelve women she talks to were real delights. She bets they were all gorgeous, all had great personalities, and all could have been real catches.

But she can honestly say she can’t remember a thing about any of them, not even their name. One of them may have been Vivi, the woman from the demonstration, but her mind was focused on a different matter.

All she could think about for the following 45 minutes or so was a certain woman always seeming to be one table away.

Jungeun.

Jinsol has never met anyone like her, and she hasn’t even exchanged one word with her.

It’s hard to describe, but Jinsol feels so drawn, so intrigued, so utterly shell shocked that she struggles to even string a couple of coherent thoughts together.

She wonders what Jungeun does for a living. Sooyoung mentioned they shared a dance class, maybe she dances? Jinsol could believe it. To say she has the body for it is an understatement.

She wonders what Jungeun likes to do in her spare time. She seems athletic, as previously mentioned, but maybe she has an artistic side to her? Jinsol can imagine her labouring behind an easel, or even a piano.

She wonders if Jungeun has many friends. While she doesn’t exactly scream “friendly,” she has this natural coolness and charisma reminiscent of Sooyoung, and Jinsol is sure that the woman has never been short of admirers.

She wonders if Jungeun is wondering these same things about her. Probably not, Jinsol could barely look her in the eye. Not the greatest first impression.

She wonders if she can hold herself together when the inevitable “date” with Jungeun comes around. Jinsol holds her breath every time Haseul calls another round, but everytime she is disappointed, set for another five minutes with a woman she will engage in half-hearted conversation with, mind entirely elsewhere.

She wonders, and she wonders, until finally, something snaps her out of it.

Again, it’s Sooyoung. But this time, it isn’t a hard kick or an elbow.

It’s their turn for a date, which Jinsol finds funny. They almost did date back in high school when they first met, but that fizzled out fairly quickly. They both realized that being the only two lesbians in their school didn’t mean they actually had to date each other. Being friends with Sooyoung is exhausting enough for Jinsol, she can’t even imagine dating her.

When Sooyoung does sit down across from Jinsol, she looks as though she has fallen into a trance.

Jinsol recognizes it, because she’s sure she herself was in a similar situation earlier in the evening.

Sooyoung’s eyes are trained on something behind Jinsol, pupils dilated, and Jinsol can feel the table shaking due to her leg twitching.

Jinsol vaguely registers Haseul starting the timer, indicating conversation is allowed, and turns around to try and find the object of Sooyoung’s attention. Right as she turns, she is immediately met with Jiwoo’s beaming smile, talking animatedly with the woman she’s on a date with.

Jiwoo must feel the gazes on her, and she looks up, eyes widening to see both Sooyoung and Jinsol blatantly staring at her.

Jiwoo’s eyes first meet Sooyoung’s over Jinsol’s shoulder, but she then smiles, somewhat smugly, and meets Jinsol’s instead. Jinsol assumes Sooyoung must have looked away in embarrassment, which is odd. Sooyoung is rarely ever embarrassed.

Jinsol arches an eyebrow in Jiwoo’s direction, to which Jiwoo’s smile grows, and she mouths a quick “thank you” before returning to her previous conversation.

Jinsol’s eyebrows furrow in confusion, and that confusion grows when she turns back to Sooyoung, and her suspicions are confirmed. Her usually confident best friend is showing uncharacteristic signs of nervousness.

“Are you okay, Soo?” she asks gently.

Sooyoung stops fidgeting with her hands and looks up into Jinsol’s eyes for the first time since she sat down.

Jinsol doesn’t see the usual arrogant, mischievous, and slightly horny look her best friend sports on a daily basis, which is very alarming.

“I think I’m in love.”

Jinsol’s jaw drops, the rum and coke, her third of the night, that she was about to sip spilling onto the table slightly.

“You- your- what?” Jinsol is flabbergasted. She doesn’t think she’s ever heard Sooyoung say she loves anyone besides her parents, Jinsol, and herself.

Sooyoung’s eyes are still clouded, and her lips curve into a dopey grin.

“I have just met the most amazing woman in the entire world. She is perfect in literally every way I can imagine.” Sooyoung rests her elbow on the table and her head in her hand, looking again over Jinsol’s shoulder at who she assumes is Jiwoo.

Jiwoo.

The woman who Jinsol was so sure was wrong for Sooyoung in every conceivable way. She is everything Sooyoung has always claimed to despise. Romantic. Cheerful. Innocent.

Jinsol still isn’t quite convinced that Sooyoung is being serious, however. Sooyoung’s sex drive knows no boundaries, and maybe this is all some sort of weird foreplay.

“Ah, I see. Well good for you, Soo! I’m sure you’ll have fun with her tonight!” Jinsol winks at her, immediately feeling weird after making the innuendo. She normally wouldn’t go near Sooyoung’s sex life with a ten foot pole, but she’s put herself in this position so she has to accept it.

“Oh I will. Once we are out of here, I’m going to take her to that super nice restaurant by my apartment so we can really get to know each other. Hopefully she’ll give me her number, because I think I want to take her to the zoo for our first real date.”

Date? Get to know each other?

Jinsol almost coughs up her drink. Sooyoung has never put in that amount of effort for any woman before.

“Wow, that sounds like a lot of work for a one night stand.”

Sooyoung finally looks back at Jinsol, but somehow, she’s now the confused one.

“One night stand? No, Jinsol, I want to marry this girl one day.”

Now Jinsol is sure she’s fallen asleep on one of her dates and is dreaming.

She slaps her own cheek lightly, and when she’s once again met with Sooyoung’s infatuated grin, she sighs in defeat.

In her vain attempt to ruin Sooyoung’s night, Jinsol has inadvertently brought her the only woman who could somehow break her sex streak and turn her into a lovesick puppy. Just her luck.

But seeing Sooyoung so happy, and something else finally overcoming her one track mind, Jinsol figures she can take the dignity hit for tonight.

With one minute left on the timer, Sooyoung seems to momentarily shake out of her spell, and instead smirks at Jinsol.

“Alright, enough about me for a minute. Don’t think I’ve forgotten how much of an idiot you were around Jungeun earlier. God, Jinsol, you probably embarrassed me more than yourself.”

Jinsol’s cheeks flare up immediately and she finds herself with the intense desire to order another drink. She had hoped Sooyoung would have forgotten about that. Jinsol herself had even been distracted by Sooyoung’s sudden change of character that she had forgotten about Jungeun for a few moments.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Bullshit. I mean, you definitely aren’t the only one. Jungeun has had many suitors in her days. Hell, every woman here tonight seems to hang on her every word.”

Jinsol’s heart sinks. She hasn’t even considered the idea that others might be feeling the same way she is.

Jinsol does a quick scan of the bar for the woman in question, heart automatically skipping a beat when she finds her a few tables over. She seems to be telling a story, and Jinsol counts at least four women making heart eyes in Jungeun’s direction. That isn’t even including her date, who looks like she’s ready to pass out.

Noticing Jinsol’s panic, Sooyoung is quick to retract her teasing.

“But, if it helps, Jungeun did ask about you during the rest of our date. I, as the best friend I am, obviously hyped you up. But you're going to have to make a good impression.”

That was surely meant to quell Jinsol’s nerves, but she feels them only deepen. What would Sooyoung have said? What if Jungeun now expects something from Jinsol?

Jinsol feels herself starting to spiral, which was really uncharacteristic for her. She hasn’t gotten this worked up over any woman in her entire life. And she still hasn’t even said a word to her.

She feels a familiar hand grab her own, and looks up to meet Sooyoung’s comforting eyes.

“Hey, I’m not sure what it is about Jungeun that has thrown you through a loop, but don’t forget how great you are! I know I tease you a lot, but you are a catch, and she’d be blind not to see that, seriously.”

Sooyoung smiles warmly, thumb reassuringly rubbing against Jinsol’s hand. Jinsol nods, but is sort of letting her words go in one ear and out the next.

“Come on, what happened to the confident gay Jinsol we all know and love? Remember at that one sorority party where you managed to score the phone number of every single member? That was legendary.”

That finally brings a smile from Jinsol. It is one of her proudest moments, despite being ashamed to admit it.

Jinsol shakes her head. No need to put so much pressure on herself to make this date go right. Goddess or not, Jungeun was still a girl, and Jinsol knew what to do with those.

Plus, she’s three rum and cokes deep. The world, or in this case, Jungeun, is her oyster.

“There she is! Now woman up and make that woman fall in love with you since you already seem to have fallen for her in the span of about an hour,” Sooyoung teases right as the alarm goes off.

With one final squeeze of her hand in reassurance, Sooyoung gets up and follows Haseul’s directions towards her next date. She shoots Jiwoo a wink on her way, causing the younger girl’s face to heat up immediately.

Jinsol sighs and waits for her number to be called, but a newfound hope blooms in her chest.

“Number 6 and number 7! Table 1!” Haseul calls.

Table 1 is the one that was used for the demonstration, meaning it is slightly out of the way compared to the rest of the tables.

Jinsol smiles as she makes her way over. At least this date will have some semblance of privacy.

She sits, and finds herself distracted by the nearby window. It looks like it is about to rain, making her pout slightly. The last thing she wants is to make the trek home in the pouring rain.

“What, not excited to see me?”

Jinsol turns to meet an already familiar gaze, just as intense as it was before.

Her brain starts to race immediately in response to the onrushing panic, coming up with a million different responses while Jungeun sits down and waits patiently in front of her. 

But Jinsol catches herself, and allows her brain to be put on standby for the time being. No pressure.

She is also hyper aware of Haseul’s strict rulekeeping, having already seen a few women told off for starting conversation too early.

Maybe it was a stalling technique, maybe not, but Jinsol remains quiet, signalling towards Haseul’s direction with her head in response to Jungeun’s furrowed brow.

Jungeun nods, understanding. But her eyes remain on Jinsol’s, whereas Jinsol’s remain on the table in front of them. She doesn’t think she’s quite ready to maintain eye contact for longer than a few seconds. Too much going on there.

“Okay, get chatting!” Haseul says, noticeably less excited than previously. The night is quite clearly winding down.

Jungeun clears her throat in an attempt to get Jinsol’s attention, and when she has it, she waits expectantly for an answer.

Jinsol takes a deep breath. 

“No, I wouldn’t say that,” Jinsol says calmly, a half smile on her lips. No stutter or voice crack. She gives herself a mental high five.

Jungeun’s eyebrows raise. She must have been expecting Jinsol’s more panicked persona from earlier, and the dark-haired woman is glad she managed to subvert her expectations.

“Then why the long face?”

Jinsol angles her head towards the window to get a better look at the clouds overhead. “It looks like it might rain soon. I can’t say I’m looking forward to going home in a storm, but maybe that’s just me.”

Jungeun chuckles. “No, I wouldn’t enjoy that either, but I don’t live too far from here. Will it take you a while to get home?”

“Around half an hour or so. Some by train, but mostly by walking.” Jinsol pouts again, and Jungeun smiles at it before looking out the window. Jinsol swears she can see a slight rose tint to her cheeks.

“Ah, that’s a shame. I’m sure now you are even happier to have been dragged here by Sooyoung.”

Jinsol’s eyes widen. “She told you she dragged me here?”

Jungeun nods, eyes sparkling from the neon bar sign plastered on the wall nearby.

“I believe her exact words were ‘that moron barely leaves her apartment, so I had to drag her the whole way here by the arm.’”

Jinsol blushes. So much for Sooyoung “hyping her up.”

“Wow, she must have painted a really great picture of me, then,” Jinsol chuckles sarcastically, adding yet another reason to the very long list of why she hates Sooyoung.

But Jungeun doesn’t seem too concerned. “I’ve never been one to judge a book by it’s cover.”

Again, their eye contact is too much for Jinsol to handle. She isn’t sure she would ever get used to the everpresent fullness of Jungeun’s eyes. But she’d like to get the chance.

“So, you know how I’ve ended up here. What about you? I can’t say I would have expected someone like you to be an avid speed dater,” Jinsol asks, changing the subject. She must have asked that question to nearly every woman she’s met tonight, but this is the first time she is genuinely interested in the answer.

“Someone like me, huh? What do you see me as?” Jungeun responds teasingly. The smirk on her face reminds Jinsol of Sooyoung, but the response it elicits is entirely different.

Jinsol isn’t sure what to say. She should have caught herself before letting that comment slip, but she couldn’t keep it back. To say she’s surprised that someone of Jungeun’s stature is even single, let alone at a speed dating event, is an understatement.

But, she’s already halfway through the date. And she’s got to make her move soon, or else Jungeun might just slip through her grasp.

“Well, to start, absolutely gorgeous.”

Jungeun’s jaw drops, for a split second, and Jinsol relishes the immediate effect she’s drawn from the other woman. But, Jungeun is proving to be a tough nut to crack, as her collected persona returns almost as quickly as it fled.

However, she doesn’t say anything, seemingly waiting for Jinsol to continue. She arches an eyebrow, confirming Jinsol’s suspicions.

“And even from the past few minutes or so, I can tell you are much more put together then most of the hot messes here tonight. Sooyoung included.”

Jungeun giggles, making Jinsol’s lips involuntarily curve upwards.

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you. Not entirely accurate, but at least my act is believable.”

Jungeun pauses, and spares a glance towards the other side of the bar. Jinsol follows her gaze, and finds Haseul watching the numerous dates with an elated grin.

“I’m actually here because of Haseul. She’s my best friend, and she’s been begging me to come to one of these things since she started her business.”

Jinsol can’t hold back her surprise. “You are friends with Haseul?”

Jungeun laughs at the bewilderment present on Jinsol’s face. “Hey, she’s not as crazy as she seems. I would describe her as passionate, and a bit of a hopeless romantic.”

“And you aren’t?” Jinsol questions. As much as she’s starting to like Jungeun, she doesn’t want a repeat of the whole Jiwoo situation.

“Passionate, yes. Hopeless romantic, maybe to an extent, but I’ve never really gotten the chance to show it. Just never found the right person, I guess.” Jungeun’s eyes travel back out the window, their usual fire dwindling slightly. Maybe there is a story there.

Feeling brave, Jinsol reaches her hand across the table to claps Jungeun’s. She feels Jungeun freeze slightly at the contact, but as she’s about to pull away, Jungeun moves her hand to fully intertwine with Jinsol’s.

Their eyes meet again, and this time, it’s Jungeun who breaks the gaze. Her cheeks have become slightly redder than before.

Progress.

“But, um, anyways. Haseul wouldn’t take no for an answer anymore, so she promised me a steak dinner in return for me attending tonight. She also figured I’d be ‘good for business’ whatever that meant.” Jungeun laughs shyly.

Jinsol knows exactly what Haseul meant. If she had known she could meet someone like Jungeun at speed dating, she would have come ages ago.

“Wow, so you get a steak dinner and all I get is scratches on my arm,” Jinsol scoffs.

“No way, did Sooyoung really leave marks on your arm?” 

Jungeun gasps when Jinsol rolls up her sleeve with her hand not currently intertwined with Jungeun’s to reveal red, still slightly burning scratch marks.

Jungeun’s free hand lightly runs her fingers along Jinsol’s forearm. The contact sends a chill up Jinsol’s spine, and she hopes her reaction isn’t too obvious.

“She’s a menace, that one. Good on you for putting up with her for so long.”

“Eh, she’s not all bad. I’m actually kind of glad she convinced me to tag along tonight.”

Jungeun moves forward slightly, resting her head on her arm, and looks at Jinsol in a way that almost has her squirming in her seat.

“Oh yeah? What changed your mind?”

For the first time, Jinsol doesn’t think she can physically pry her gaze away from Jungeun’s.

Finally given the opportunity to really look at them, Jinsol can confirm that the way Jungeun’s chocolate brown eyes pool and flow is absolutely mesmerizing, and Jinsol concludes that she certainly wouldn’t mind drowning in them.

Before Jinsol can utter her one syllable response, the timer goes off.

It’s Jungeun who finally breaks the eye contact, somehow still not used to the blaring of the timer.

But she meets Jinsol’s eyes again, and this time, Jinsol sees a bit of shyness in them.

“It was really nice to meet you Jinsol. I hope this isn’t the last time I get to talk to you,” Jungeun says. Now, the blush on her face is hard to miss.

Jinsol grins. She’s still got it.

“It won’t be. You can count on that.”

Jungeun smiles once more before making her way over to the bartender.

Jinsol sighs and slouches in her chair. How she managed to make it through that date, she’s not too sure. But, one thing she is sure of is that Jungeun has somehow only become more alluring, more fascinating, and more attractive.

But, five minutes wasn’t nearly enough time.

Jinsol eyes her as the bartender brings Jungeun her drink. Now that she’s overcome the initial panic and mind melt that was seeing Jungeun for the first time, Jinsol finds it incredibly difficult to pry her eyes away.

She doesn’t seem to be alone in that thought, however, because not even a few seconds later, Jinsol’s gaze is met. Jungeun blushes at being caught, and immediately distracts herself with Haseul’s army commands instead.

To spare the other girl further embarrassment, at least for the time being, Jinsol does the same. She suffers through her last few dates, Jungeun still obviously at the forefront of her mind, but instead of nervous, she’s excited to talk to her again.

Jinsol is sure the connection she felt during their date wasn’t one-sided. She’s been on enough dates to know when the spark was there, or in her case, when it wasn’t, and even being with Jungeun for five minutes was enough to be sure. Jinsol needs to see her again.

After what seemed like hours, but was likely only around 20 minutes, the timer goes off for the final time.

“Well, that concludes the event! I would like to thank you all for coming, everything went as smoothly as I could have hoped, so I am one happy camper!” Haseul’s enthusiasm never fails to catch Jinsol off guard.

“You are free to leave whenever, however I would be greatly disappointed if some of you left right away. The next half hour is open to mingle, so if you met that special someone and want another chance, now’s the time!”

Jinsol immediately looks in Jungeun’s direction, but the brunette is distracted by her previous date speaking quietly to her. Jinsol’s brow furrows.

“Once again, thank you all for attending Speed Dating for Useless Lesbians. It’s been my pleasure,” Haseul grins, and Jinsol can see the weight immediately lifting off of the woman’s shoulders.

Despite her eccentric personality, Jinsol can only admire Haseul for her dedication. She did run the event like an army camp, but Jinsol can testify to its effectiveness. It’s thanks to Haseul that she is even here to meet Jungeun in the first place.

Jinsol thinks she owes her a steak dinner.

Sooyoung starts clapping again from somewhere nearby, hooping and hollering as she does so, and this time, Jinsol isn’t hesitant to join in. The entire bar stands to applaud Haseul, causing the shorter woman to blush profusely.

As the mingling begins, Jinsol notices Sooyoung approaching her from the corner of her eye, but she isn’t alone. She’s dragging Jiwoo along behind her by the hand, both sporting massive grins.

“Hello my wonderful, amazing, beautiful, talented best friend!” Sooyoung exclaims with glee.

“Um, hi?”

“Jiwoo has just informed me that you encouraged her to make a move on me! I’m so surprised! You have never tried to set me up with anyone, despite how many times I’ve asked in the past,” Sooyoung pouts.

Jinsol’s eyes widen. Right. She can’t exactly tell Sooyoung that her intentions were to fuck her over, not get her a girlfriend. Maybe when Jiwoo isn’t standing right behind her, still slightly in shock.

“Ah, yeah, it was nothing, Soo. Just had a feeling you guys would be good for each other, that’s all.”

Sooyoung releases Jiwoo’s hand and wraps her arms around Jinsol’s waist, lifting her up slightly and spinning her around. Jinsol shrieks, causing a few heads to turn at the commotion.

“I! Love! You! Bitch! Thank! You! So! Much!”

Jinsol croaks, finding it hard to breath, and Sooyoung finally releases her death grip.

“Now, Jiwoo and I are going for dinner, so you’ll have to make your way home by yourself.” Sooyoung pauses, leaning closer to Jinsol’s ear. “But I expect a full update on the whole Jungeun situation in the morning.”

With a final wink and pinch of Jinsol’s cheek, Sooyoung is off, her hand finding its way back into Jiwoo’s.

Jiwoo gives Jinsol a small wave before she’s pulled out of the door and into the freedom of the outside world.

Jinsol sighs. She’s happy for Sooyoung, and even though it wasn’t initially her plan, she’s happy her and Jiwoo have found each other. Hopefully they last longer than Sooyoung’s usual relationships do.

But if Sooyoung thinks Jinsol won’t use this as leverage for the rest of their lives, she’s sadly mistaken.

Finally bringing her attention back to the matter at hand, Jinsol glances at the large clock on the wall beside the bar. She wasted five minutes talking to Sooyoung. Five minutes she could have spent with a certain brunette.

Jinsol looks around the bar for Jungeun, but pouts when she finds her already talking to another woman. Jungeun doesn’t look too interested, but the other woman looks quite animated, perhaps wanting to maintain Jungeun’s attention as long as she can.

Jinsol’s heart falls slightly. She was really hoping she wouldn’t have to compete for Jungeun’s affection, but after seeing the women practically lined up to talk to Jungeun, her confidence from earlier begins to plummet.

Jungeun could have her pick of the bunch, and Jinsol is sure there is someone else in the bar that is better than herself.

She takes a seat at one of the stools, rapidly losing all hope.

But, before she gives up completely and heads for home, Jinsol hears the seat beside her become occupied.

Jinsol’s head turns, and she’s met with Haseul’s gleaming smile. Seeing the woman relieved of her duties for the night, Jinsol is taken aback at the glimmer of her eyes.

“What are you doing over here?” Haseul asks, gently.

“What do you mean?”

Haseul glances over in Jungeun’s direction, and Jinsol sees the woman from before has been replaced with an even more excited one.

“I would have thought you’d be the first one over to talk with Jungeun again.”

Jinsol stills slightly. She wonders if she’s that much of an open book.

“Uh, I’m not sure what you are implying.”

Haseul rolls her eyes. “Oh come on...” she pauses. “I actually can’t remember your name. I almost just called you ‘Sooyoung’s friend’ again.”

Jinsol chuckles. This woman is something else. “I’m Jinsol.”

Haseul’s face brightens in recognition. “Yes, of course you are. Anyways, I was going to say that not only am I technically a matchmaker, I’m also Jungeun’s best friend. I know when someone is interested, especially in her.”

Jinsol blushes shyly. “Well, I am interested in her. She seems incredible. Thank you for offering her that steak dinner, by the way.”

Jinsol sighs, eyes once again finding their way towards the large crowd of women at the back.

“But evidently, I’m not the only one who is interested.”

“That doesn’t mean she isn’t interested in you,” Haseul argues. “Jungie has had her fair share of woman troubles, but I think you’d be good for her.”

Jinsol scoffs. “You don’t even know me.”

Haseul smiles knowingly, only making Jinsol more confused, and slightly annoyed.

“Alright, I’m wrong then. Don’t go for it. Spend the rest of your life wondering what might have been. That sounds like a much better plan.”

As Jinsol’s about to argue, she hears a chair screech from the other side of the room.

Jungeun stands and moves to gather all of her things, despite the crying and pleading of the numerous women surrounding her.

She looks up to wave at Haseul, and mouths a quick “I’ll call you,” to which Haseul nods knowingly.

Jinsol watches her leave, frozen in place. But, as Jungeun reaches the door, she turns back, meeting Jinsol’s desperate gaze.

Even from the other side of the bar, Jinsol can see the message written in those beautiful brown eyes.

But the contact isn’t held for long, and before Jinsol knows it, Jungeun leaves.

Jinsol stands still for a few moments, deliberating on what she should do.

Should she follow her? She thinks Jungeun wants that, but she also doesn’t want to assume anything. Maybe Jungeun is tired of talking to people, and that’s why she lef-

“What are you waiting for?” Haseul practically yells in Jinsol’s ear and interrupts her rapid thoughts, giving her a shove on the shoulder for good measure.

Taking a few steps to brace herself, Jinsol snaps herself out of it. What the hell is she waiting for?

In a flash, she grabs her coat and bursts out of the door, yelling a “thank you” out in Haseul’s direction. If all goes well, she hopes she’ll have the chance to thank the woman properly at another time.

As Jinsol exits the bar, she’s immediately met with the fresh air she had been desperately craving all night. But now, she has something else on her mind besides her couch and warm apartment.

She frantically scans the streets around her, looking for Jungeun, and spots her slightly down the block. Jinsol thanks whatever god there is that Jungeun decided to wear a bright red coat.

Using whatever athletic ability she can muster up, Jinsol sprints towards Jungeun, almost colliding with multiple passersby and receives a few strong words in response.

Finally, she gets close enough to place a hand on Jungeun’s shoulder.

Surprised, the woman yelps and initially slaps Jinsol’s hand off. Her eyes soften instantly when she’s met with Jinsol’s disheveled figure, and not someone after her purse.

Jinsol takes a few moments to catch her breath, slightly hunched over. This serves as a great reminder of how out of shape she is.

When she finally feels like she can breath again, Jinsol straightens out, and smiles shyly at the smirk on Jungeun’s face.

“Hi,” Jinsol says, meekly.

“Hey.”

Jungeun waits, clearly wanting Jinsol to make the first move.

Jinsol had already assumed it was up to her. She is the one who chased Jungeun down the street like a maniac.

“So, um, it didn’t rain, hey? Isn’t that lucky.”

That doesn’t mean she is in any way prepared to do such a thing.

Jungeun rolls her eyes. “Jinsol, why did you follow me?”

Her tone isn’t hostile, but it is expectant.

Jinsol thinks she knows what Jungeun wants to hear. But her confidence from earlier really took a hit seeing all of those women fawning over Jungeun.

Jinsol nervously meets Jungeun’s gaze, and the softness in them, encouraging her to speak, gives her the courage to finally blurt it out.

“I know I’m probably, like, the last one to ask you this, but do you maybe want to go out sometime?”

Jinsol closes her eyes on instinct, scared to hear the reply.

“You are the last person to ask.”

Jinsol’s heart sinks. She read the signs all wrong, there’s no way Jungeun would actually feel the same way. And now she’s going to be rejected, in person.

But before she can run away in embarrassment, she feels a hand slide smoothly into her own.

Jinsol opens her eyes and is met with Jungeun’s beaming smile, cheeks red. Possibly from the weather, but Jinsol doesn’t think so.

“But you are the first person to hear yes.”

Jinsol’s jaw drops. She genuinely can’t believe it.

Jungeun giggles at Jinsol’s bewilderment, poking her cheek affectionately.

“Wait, are you serious?”

Jungeun rolls her eyes, again, but the fondness in them betrays her.

“Yes, moron. Now come on, I’m hungry and there’s a great noodle place a couple of blocks over. You can tell me all about that couch you love so much.”

As Jinsol hits Jungeun’s arm, ignoring the flame of her cheeks at the woman’s teasing, she makes a mental note to send Sooyoung the largest bouquet of flowers she can find.

**Author's Note:**

> hi i'm back hehe
> 
> i've been wanting to write this for like, months, so i'm rly glad i finally had the time! it was a fun one ngl
> 
> i hope u enjoyed, please comment ur thoughts :)))
> 
> (p.s. my twitter is @lo_ells so come say hi)


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